My role
September 2018 - Present

Studio & Project Manager

~ Since being asked to write my own reviews/thought pieces based on two events that took place during the SALT Festival of the Sea & Environment in September 2018, I have been committed to documenting FF’s activity and mission.
~ Across this time to present day, I lead/co-lead role in managing our communication outlets, such as: social media, digital newsletters, published press releases, website content/aesthetic, and editorial materials (brochures, magazine articles/adverts, flyers/posters etc.), as well as through working with graphic designers around these outlets and in line with the FF brand (which I have been a driving force behind). Across such, I additionally lead on writing original copy and editing content for these official communication methods.
~ Consistently thinking, researching, and further constructing innovative methods, ideas, plans, and networking opportunities for the benefit/accessibility of the organisation to the wider world. This work demands not only to cover the aesthetical but the contextual, conceptual, and direct content-delivery focus’ equally. For example, this is practiced through my initiating of PR lines of communications, overseeing database collation and containing, and through the creation of marketing plans made for large-scale projects to day-to-day runnings.
~ Physically going to as many events (either those of Folkestone Fringe or those of our partners/friends/stakeholders etc.) as I can for the means of my own interest, but also for the purposes of building personal and professional relationships on FF’s behalf.
~ Thinking around, planning towards, and delivering from start to finish (including implementing evaluation/report/monitoring models) the Festivals/one-off events that FF produces surrounding the Triennial and inter-Triennial years. This entails communication duties, programming, engaging with local, national, and international press such as magazines or papers, and building relationships with artists/practitioners directly alongside external managing with photographers, evaluators, videographers, curators, tradespeople and councils.
~ Festivals & Projects in which I have executed these responsibilities are: MagiC Carpets (a partnership between 20 organisations across the EU through which FF represent the UK), Profound Sound, SALT Festival of the Sea & Environment, LADA DIY (hosting Dr Duckie, Stacy Makishi), Normal? Festival of the Brain, Festival of Looking (Magic Carpets 2020 response), Folkestone Fringe Folkestone Triennial 2021, The Walk: Little Amal (first iteration in 2021, second iteration in 2022 which saw 2000+ site visits to Folkestone Harbour Arm), Folkestone Fringe’s Open Platform, Folkestone Fringe’s GLUE platform, Folkestone Fringe’s Open Quarter 2022 response, Last Friday’s Folkestone, FF’s place in the ongoing International platform Cultural Bridge’s: BRIDGIT, and SALT + EARTH Festival of the Seascape, Landscape and Environment.
~ Across 2021 in particular, I developed my role in project management as the lead coordinator of 'Fringe Open', a programme strand within the Folkestone Fringe Triennial calendar, which has, since 2008, acted in sync with the internationally-renowned public art festival, the Folkestone Triennial. This role required me to put together a summer & autumn programme of 100+ events, in offering leadership around locations, logistics, and marketing for anybody and everybody seeking to show their work alongside the Triennial. Within this time, I also stepped up to the role of project manager for GLUE - a platform for recent graduate artists/curators created in response to COVID-19 recovery, whereby a group had the opportunity to put on their own exhibition and gain mentorship from FF associates.
~ In 2022, I project managed both Profound Sound 2022 Festival, our involvement within the Cultural Bridge platform, FF’s Open Quarter for 2022, as well as Folkestone Fringe’s co-curated SALT + EARTH: Festival of Landscape, Seascape & The Environment taking place in September 2022 (this iteration formed part of the bid for the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - AONB - & Parc Naturel Régional des Caps et Marais d’Opale in France to become the world’s first Cross-Channel UNESCO Global Geopark). Such project managing duties required delegating tasks to the team, putting together programmes, leading on communication links with the artists and representatives working across the whole of the Kent Downs, and delivering most administration.
~ Over my time, I have developed my talent as a writer, and have produced commissioned thought pieces and reviews on FF’s behalf.
~ Day-to-day at current, I execute teaching new recruits and manage a team of 6, alongside overseeing all project streams, hosting meetings, and managing the shifts at one of our venues/public spaces, Urban Room Folkestone.